DR. DOMINIC AKURITINGA AYINE vs ATTORNEY-GENERAL [2020]DLSC8799

Date	2020-05-13
Suit No.	WRIT NO. J1/05/2018
Citation No.	[2020]DLSC8799

YEBOAH CJ (PRESIDING)

BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC

GBADEGBE JSC

MARFUL-SAU JSC

DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC

AMEGATCHER JSC

KOTEY JSC

TONY LITHUR WITH HIM MARIETTA BREW APPIAH-OPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF.

GODFRED YEBOAH DAME DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL WITH HIM MS

YVONNE BANNERMAN SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANT.

[2020]DLSC8799
																																						<div class="restriction-wrapper">
														<div class="container-lg">
															<div class="row">
																<div class="col-md-12 restricted-content">
																	<div class="restricted-content-img-wrapper">
																		<div class="lock-icon bounce-7">
																			<img class=""
																				src="https://www.dennislawgh.com/dl-assets/dl-images/lock-content.png"
																				alt="Subscription based content">
																		</div>
																	</div>
																	 
																		<a href="https://www.dennislawgh.com/login"
																		class="btn btn-primary btn-lg"
																		style="font-family: 'open sans'; text-transform: capitalize; border-radius: 8px"> 
																		Login to Read Full Case </a>
																	 
																	
																</div>
															</div>
														</div>
													</div>
													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" >DR. DOMINIC AKURITINGA AYINE<o:p></o:p>(PLAINTIFF)<o:p></o:p>vs<o:p></o:p>ATTORNEY-GENERAL<o:p></o:p>(DEFENDANT)<o:p></o:p>[SUPREME COURT, ACCRA]<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

WRIT
NO. J1/05/2018&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; DATE: 13TH
MAY, 2020<o:p></o:p>

</div>COUNSEL:<o:p></o:p>TONY
LITHUR WITH HIM MARIETTA BREW APPIAH-OPONG FOR THE PLAINTIFF.<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

GODFRED YEBOAH DAME, DEPUTY ATTORNEY-GENERAL WITH
HIM MS YVONNE BANNERMAN, SENIOR STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE DEFENDANT.
<o:p></o:p>

</div>CORAM: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<o:p></o:p>YEBOAH CJ (PRESIDING),
BAFFOE-BONNIE JSC, GBADEGBE JSC, MARFUL-SAU JSC, DORDZIE (MRS.) JSC, AMEGATCHER
JSC, KOTEY JSC<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border-top:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
border-left:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;border-right:none;
padding:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;line-height:115%;
border:none;mso-border-top-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;mso-border-bottom-alt:
solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0cm;mso-padding-alt:1.0pt 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">JUDGMENT<o:p></o:p>

</div>AMEGATCHER,
JSC:-<o:p></o:p>This writ is invoking our original jurisdiction
under articles 2(1) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution. The writ was
originally issued against the Attorney-General and Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu
(hereafter referred to as Martin Amidu), the incumbent Special Prosecutor. By a
ruling dated 5th February, 2019, this court struck out Martin Amidu
as 2nd defendant relying on article 88(5) of the 1992 Constitution. The
writ now is against the Attorney-General as the sole defendant.<o:p></o:p>FACTS: <o:p></o:p>Following the passage by Parliament of the Office
of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017, (Act 959), the Attorney-General acting in
accordance with the provisions of Section 13(3) of the Act nominated for appointment
by the President, Martin Amidu as the Special Prosecutor subject to the
approval of Parliament. The President accepted the nomination and forwarded the
name to Parliament for approval. Parliament vetted and approved the nominee,
and he was sworn into office as the first substantive Special Prosecutor in
February 2018. The curriculum vitae submitted by Martin Amidu to Parliament for
the vetting stated his date of birth as 6th September, 1951. This
implies that at the time of his nomination, vetting, approval by Parliament and
swearing in by the President, Martin Amidu had attained the age of 66 years. <o:p></o:p>The plaintiff, a former Deputy Attorney-General
&amp; Minister of Justice and Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East
describing himself as a citizen of Ghana seeking the interpretation and enforcement
of the Constitution issued this writ against the Attorney-General for the
following reliefs:<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>(a)&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
declaration that by a true and proper interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d),
199(1), 199(4), and 295 of the 1992 Constitution, the retirement age of all
holders of public offices created pursuant to Article 190(1)(d) is sixty (60)
years, anyhow and not beyond sixty-five (65) years;<o:p></o:p>(b)&nbsp; A declaration that by a true and proper
interpretation of Articles 190(1)(d) and 199(4) of the 1992 Constitution, no
person above the age of 65 years is eligible for employment in any public
office created under Article 190(1)(d);<o:p></o:p>(c)&nbsp;&nbsp;
A
declaration that by reason of his age, (66 years), Mr Martin Alamisi Burns
Kaiser Amidu is not qualified or eligible to be nominated by Parliament as the
Special Prosecutor under Section 13(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor
Act, 2017 (Act 959);<o:p></o:p>